| Cult of Mac

Today in Apple history: PowerBook 100 series is a smash hit

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The entry-level PowerBook 100 fueled a laptop revolution.
The entry-level PowerBook 100 fueled a laptop revolution.
Photo: Danamania/Wikipedia CC

October 21: Today in Apple history: Apple launches PowerBook 100 series, one of the most important laptops in Apple history October 21, 1991: Apple launches its PowerBook 100 series. The lightweight laptops quickly become one of the most important tech gadgets of all time.

These devices will almost single-handedly turn notebook computers into mainstream technology. Apple’s subsequent success in this category — whether it’s the current MacBooks or even the rise of mobile devices like the iPhone — owes a huge debt to the PowerBook 100 series.

Today in Apple history: The first great color PowerBook arrives

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Inside its beefy chassis, the PowerBook 180c packed a beautiful color screen.
Inside its beefy chassis, the PowerBook 180c packed a beautiful color screen.
Photo: Wikipedia CC

June 7: Today in Apple history: Apple debuts the PowerBook 180c laptop June 7, 1993: Apple debuts the PowerBook 180c, a solid upgrade that brings a world of dazzling colors to the company’s laptop line.

The 180c’s big improvement over the grayscale PowerBook 180, which launched the previous October, is its active-matrix, 256-color screen. Such a screen is something of a novelty for laptops in the early 1990s.

Turn your laptop into a desktop with new StarTech Thunderbolt 4 dock

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StarTech.com's capable new Thunderbolt 4 docking station can broaden your laptop's horizons.
StarTech.com's capable new Thunderbolt 4 docking station can broaden your laptop's horizons.
Photo: StarTech.com

With Thunderbolt 4 connectivity becoming more and more common in new laptop computers, including various Macs, you may be in the market for a worthy docking station. After all, small, lightweight laptops don’t always have all the ports you need. So it’s a good thing StarTech.com recently released its TB4CDock for Mac and Windows.

The Thunderbolt 4 station bristles with the ports you need to turn your laptop into a desktop, or close to it.

Before the MacBook’s fall: The greatest laptops Apple ever built

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Before the fall of MacBook: The greatest laptops Apple ever built
What's your favorite MacBook of all time?
Photo: Apple

The current MacBook Pro is the worst thing since unsliced bread — at least if you believe my colleague Charlie “glass is half empty” Sorrel. But while people might be happy to dump on Cupertino’s current laptop selection, Apple brought us some amazing laptops in its 40-plus year history.

Here are the inarguable top five Apple laptops of all time.

2019 MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro: Which is right for you?

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MacBook on desk
Look at all those ports!
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Apple’s current laptop lineup is the simplest it’s been in a while. It consists of the 13-inch MacBook Air, and two sizes of MacBook Pro, which are almost identical apart from size.

If you want a 15-inch Apple notebook, then the choice is easy. But if you want a 13-incher, which should you pick? That’s what we’ll look at today, pitching the 13-inch MacBook Air against the 13-inch MacBook Pro.

Huawei OS could fight Android (and Windows) next year

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Huawei P20 Pro
It’s just a backup plan for now.
Photo: Huawei

Huawei is developing its own operating system that will power its smartphones and other devices if it cannot rely on Android.

Richard Yu, head of the company’s consumer division, has now confirmed the software could be ready in early 2020. Android and Windows remain its top preference for now, however.

Laptop and tablet flight ban could be expanded worldwide

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Emirates
Emirates is one of the airlines currently affected by the ban.
Photo: Emirates

The current ban on laptops and tablets in carry-on luggage from 10 different airports could be extended internationally, a new report claims.

The U.S. government has held high-level discussions with officials from the European Union, with both sides deciding “to intensify talks.” The U.S. is said to be more enthusiastic about the possible ban than their European counterparts.

Laptop and tablet ban on flights from Europe won’t happen after all

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Emirates
Emirates is one of the airlines affected by the ban.
Photo: Emirates

The Trump administration won’t be expanding its ban on the use of laptops, tablets and other large electronic devices to flights entering the United States from European airports, after all.

U.S. and EU officials reportedly decided against a ban on laptops and tablets in cabin baggage on flights from Europe, although “other measures” designed to keep passengers safe are still being weighed up.

Laptop and tablet ban on planes may expand to cover flights from Europe

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Emirates
Ban came on the back of plot involving bomb disguised as an iPad.
Photo: Emirates

The Trump administration is reportedly considering expanding its ban on the use of laptops, tablets and other large electronic devices to flights entering the United States from European airports.

The ban is already in place for travelers flying from 10 Middle Eastern countries, including Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.